Direction indicator for automobiles or other vehicles



Feb. 5 1924.

D. U. STANAGE DIRECTION INDICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES OR OTHER VEHICLES ulll l l I l I I! INVENTOR .fizurid ZLSimm .1,-

Original Filed May a, 1919 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 5, 1924.

DAVID U. STANAGE, or OAKLAND, oamronnia.

DIRECTION INDICATOR FOR AUTOIJIOBILES OR OTHER VEHICLES.

Application filed May 8, 1919, Serial No. 295,628.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID U. STANAGE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California,have invented new and useful Improvements in Direction Indicators forAutomobiles or Other Vehicles, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to direction indicators for automobiles.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a signal devicewhereby thedriver of an automobile may indicate at the rear of hismachine the intended movement thereof. Further, in this connection, itis also an object of the invention that when the driver signals hisintention of the intended movement of his machine, that there is alsosimultaneously an alarm given to attract the attention of the driver ofan automobile or other vehicle following.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a direction indicatorfor automobiles which is certain in its operation and adapted to beapplied to any type of ma chine.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a directionindicating device which is simple in construction, artistic in designand cheap to manufacture.

With the above, and other objects in'view, the invention consists in thenovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated. in theaccompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of thecasing in which the signaling mechanism is housed.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, central, sectional view taken on the line 22of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical connections for theoperating m ech anism.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to the Figs. 1 and 2, Aindicates a casing which comprises the cylindrical por tions 10 and 11,the portion 10 being greater in diameter than the portion 11. In the endwall of the portion 10 or front end of easing there is provided acentral horizontal slot 12. Above the 'slot 12 there is suitably mountedin the wall a pair of lenses indicated at 13 and 1A, and centrally abovethe lenses there is suitably mounted a gong 15. Bell magnets andarmature are suitably secured to the inner side wall of the Renewed.Getober 21, 1926. Serial No. 418,505.

casing, as indicated at 15, the striker 17 thereof extending through aslot provided in the wall of the casing and adapted for striking .thegong 15.

A support member 16 is secured within. the walls of the casing and inits vertical portion 16 there is journaled one end of a shaft 17 theother end of the shaft being journaled in suitable supports or bracketsextending from the side of the member 16.

This shaft 17 is in axial alignment with the cylindrical portion 10 ofthe casing and on said shaft there is mounted the enveloping sleeves 18,19 and 20. each sleeve being adapted for separate rotative movement andnear its rear end has secured a cog-wheel 21. Also, a cog-wheel 21 islikewise secured near the corresponding end of the shaft 17 The forwardor other ends of the sleeves are in spaced relation and thecorresponding end of the shaft slightly eX- tending beyond either of thesleeves. A rectangular strip 22 is secured to the forward end of eachsleeve and also to the same end of the shaft, said strips being adaptedfor rotative movement, whereby each may be brought into registeringposition with the slot 12. These strips 22, or, as commonly called,vanes, are perforated and on their exterior sides have stamped orotherwise written longitudinally thereof, such words as Turn, Left,Right, etc.

Above the shaft 17 and in vertical alignment therewith, are suitablymounted and supported by the bracket 16, solenoids 23 which correspondin number to the vanes or signals 22. These solenoids are of the plungertype and each provided with a downwardly extending sleeve 25, saidsleeve being closed at its lower end and between said end and solenoidprovided with a vertical slot. To the lower end of each plunger there issecured a pin or rod 27 on which is secured a rack member 28 adapted tomesh with a cog-wheel 21. The rod or pin 27 extends through a centralopening provided in the lower end of the sleeve 25 and is provided withthe spaced collars 29 and .30, whereby the upward and downward movementof the plunger of solenoid or rack member 28 is limited.

Referring to Fig. 3 in which the electrical connections for theabove-described mechanism is diagrammatically shown, a battery isindicated at 31, which may be either the generator or batterycustomarily used on automobiles for lighting or like purposes. Thebattery shown has its negative terminal extended and connected to onebus of the switches 32. The switches 32 are preferably mounted on thesteering wheel convenient to the driver, and correspond in number to thenumber of solenoids 23 employed. Each switch has an individual lead 33to one terminal of a solenoid 23, the other terminal at each solenoidbeing connected in common to the one wire or lead indicated at Ill.Between the positive side of the bat tery 31 and the lead 34 there isplaced in multiple series with the solenoids the bell magnets and twolamps 36 and 37 which are in series with each other. The two lamps 36and 37 are preferably mounted in the rear of the casing in order thatthey will illuminate the perforated strips or vanes 22 as well as thelenses 13v and 14. .thS is obvious, these lights would be unnecess saryduring the day time, and, a switch may be provided to exclude the lightsfrom the circuit any time desired, which would in no manner interferewith the operation of the device.

It can be readily seen from the diagrammatic view shown that by pressinga button 32, a solenoid 23 corresponding in number to the buttonpressed, the bell magnets 15 and lights 36 and 37 will be energized. Thesolenoid 23 ill raise its rack member 28 sutiiciently for turning acog-Wheel 21 through approximately one quarter of a revolution, theupward movement of the rack being limited by the collar 30 on the rod27. The turning of a cog 21 through one-quarter of a revolution willbring the vane 22 with which it is connected, into registering positionwith the slot 12. If at night, the bell or gong 15 and illuminatedlenses 13 and 14 act as two agencies for attracting the attention of thedriver of a following automobile or other vehicle. The perforated vanebeing also illuminated by the lights 36 and 37, permits the word displayed to be easily read. During the day the bell alone can act forattracting the attention of the driver of a following auto1no bile orvehicle to the signal given and the lights excluded from the circuit.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. In an indicator of the class described, acylindrical casing having an enlarged and a reduced portion, asubstantially til-shaped support within the casing provided with anextension secured to the wall oi the enlarged portion of the casing,solenoids depending from the upper horizontal arm of the support, ashaft journaled in the vertical arms of the support and extendinglongitudinally of the casing, rotatable sleeves of increasing length onthe shaft and carrying indicating vanes thereon within the said enlargedportion of the casing and means for selectively operating the solenoidsto rotate the said sleeves.

2. In an indicator of the class described, a solenoid provided with aplunger having a rack bar thereon, a depending sleeve on the solenoidprovided with an opening, a pin carried by the plunger and extendingthrough the opening in the depending sleeve and provided with stops tolimit the movement of the plunger, a horizontal shaft within the casing,a sleeve journalled on the shaft and provided with a gear meshing withthe rack bar to rotate the sleeve when the solenoid is energized, and anindicating vane on the said sleeve.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

DAVID U. STANAGE.

Witnesses {l JOHN H. HERRING, W. W. HEALEY.

